Improvement in alarm-clocks



J. E. BUERK.

Alarm Clock.

Patented Sept. 18, 1866.

N. PETERS. Plwtcrunmgmphur. wnshingtm D C.

UNITED STATES 'PATENT Oni-rica.

J. E. BUERK, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

IMPROVEMENT IN ALARM-CLOCKS.

Spccilication forming part of LettersI Patent No. 58,05, dated September 1S, 18H6.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that l, J. E. BUERK, or' Boston, in the county ot' Suiolk and State ot` Massachusetts, have invented a new and Iml proved Alarm-Movement; and l do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, which will enable others skilled in the art to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which- Figure l represents a longitudinal vertical section of this invention, taken in the plane indicated by the line x a?, Fig. 2. Fig. 2 is a plan or top view of the same. Fig. 3 is a horizontal section ot' the same, the plane ot section being' indicated `by the line y y, Fig. l. Fig. 4 is a plan or top view of the same when applied to a door as a burglar-alarm.

Similar letters of reference indicate like parts.

This invention consists in an alarm-move ment, from the escapement of which extends a stop-lever, which bears against a segmental disk mounted on a shat't, to the upper part of which is secured a serrated segment in such a manner that by turning the serrated segment either by hand or by the action of a watch or other mechanism until the iiat part of the segmental disk faces the stop-lever the escape-wheel is released and the alarm begins t0 sound. The serrated segment is marked with figures from l to l2, (more or less,) and by adjusting a watch in the proper position, and securing on the central arbor thereof a watchkey with a projecting wing or tooth, the alarm can be made to sound at any desired time during the night or day.

Arepresents a box, made of wood or any other suitable material, and provided with a lid or cover, B, so that it can be conveniently closed whenever it maybe desirable. On the bottom of this boxis secured the alar1n-move ment C, which consists of a coiled spring, a, secured with its inner end to an arbor, l), and with its outer end to the bed-plate of the alarm-movement. rlhe end of the arbor b extends through a hole in the bottom ot' the box, and it is made square to receive a key, which serves to wind up the spring a.

On the arborA b is secured an escape-wheel, c, which is connected with said arbor by means ot' the winding apparatus, and the motion of which is governed by the anchor-eseapement d. From the anchor extends a stop-lever, c, and it (the anchor) is mounted on an arbor, lz', which also carries the hammer 7i.

The stop-lever c extends across the escapewheel, and it bears against the circumference ot' a segmental disk, i, which is mounted on a vertical shaft, j. As long as the stop-lever bears against the convex part ot' the segmental disk t' the anchor d is retained in such a position that it prevents the escape-wheel from revolving,- but when the segmental disk is turned so that its iiat part faces the stoplever the escape-wheel is released, and as it revolves it imparts to the anchor a rapid oscillating motion, causing the hammer to strike in quick succession against the bell lt' until the force ot' the spring is spent.

The position of the segmental disk t is governed by an arm, l, which is secured to the vertical shattj, and which is operated either by the action of a watch-movement or by a rod connecting with the door or window ot' the room, or by any other suitable means. It the arm l is to be operated by a watch-move ment it is provided with a serrated segment, mf, which extends over a cup, n, secured in the upper part of the box A, and made ot a suitable size to receive a watch ofthe ordinaryl size. The segmentis provided with twelve (more or less) teeth, which are marked with tgures from 1 to l2, and each of which represents one hour. Said segment-extends near to the center of the watch, on the central arbor of which a watch-key, o, is placed, which is provided with a tooththat gears in the teeth ofthe ser rated segment, (see Figs] and 2 5) and since the central arbor of a watch makes one revolution every hour, the segment is moved one tooth per hour until it comes in such a position that the iiat part of the segmental disk t' comes opposite the stop-lever, when the alarm movementis released and the alarm is sounded.

1f a person desires to be awakened four hours after going to bed, the tooth of the watch-key is brought in gear with the tooth No. et of the serrated segment, and at'ter the lapse of four hours the alarm is sounded.

Instead of operating the arm Z by means of the watch-key and the serrated segment m, it may be operated by a rod, p, as shown in Fic.

3. This rod is provided with a projecting pin, q, which bears against the edge ot' the arm l, and the opposite end of the rod is connected to or fastened in the door, if said door opens outward, as shown in said tigure in black outlines, or it is made to bear against the door, if the door opens inward, as shown in red outlines in said figure. In either case if the door is opened the arm Z is turned in the direction of the arrow marked on it in Fig. 3, and the alarm is sounded.

To prevent the arm l from turnin g too far, a spring, r, is secured in the interior of the box A; and if the arm lhas been turned far enough, a pin, s, projecting from the segmental disk t', bears againstthe spring r, and prevents the shaft j from turning an y farther than necessary to release the alarmmovement.

By these means a simple alarm is obtained which is of great convenience for travelers or persons living in hotels. The box A takes but little room, (it can be made neat,) and the alarm-movement is so constructed that the same is not liable to get out of order.

Vhat I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is`

l. The arm Z and segmental disk 1', in combination with the stop-lever e of the alarmmovement, constructed and operating substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. The serrated segment an, in combination with the tooth of the Watch-key o and with the alarm-movement2 constructed and operating substantially as and for the purpose described.

The above specification of my invention signed by me this 12th day of May 1866.

J. E. BUERK.

NVitnesses:

M. M. LIVINGSTON, W. HAUrr. 

